"We certainly believe, speaking for the Players Association, that we have a tremendous social and cultural impact... We definitely understand the effect that we have on society and culture, and we feel we have a responsibility to have very high standards. With something like discrimination of any kind, we just want to make sure we are a symbol for good."

With something like discrimination of any kind, we just want to make sure we are a symbol for good.

AH! I was waiting for something like this. I'm going down to Rams Park today and tell them that I want to start at inside linebacker this Sunday. Sure, I haven't played since college ball back in 88-92. Sure, I'm 41. Sure, I'm out of shape and don't run anywhere near the 4.4 40 I used to, but since they're taking the high road and not discriminating anymore, I should be a shoe-in.

I assume this new policy means they're going to have a separate locker room for openly gay players, right? I mean, the cheerleaders don't get dressed with the team, do they?

"My guess is that the ratio of homophobic NFL players to homosexual NFL players is about 1100 to 1."

I actually doubt that the overwhelming majority of football players are 'homophobic." They tend to be younger, and younger people care far less about others' sexual orientation. Still, I can name only one gay (ex) pro football player (Former Packer Esera tuaolo), so who knows.

The NFL doesn't discriminate against violent felons, people who torture helpless animals to death, and other fine role models, as long as they can run, kick, tackle, block or throw. It would look REALLY bad for the NFL if being gay, which hurts nobody, were the only thing that would disqualify a player.

My guess is that the ratio of homophobic NFL players to homosexual NFL players is about 1100 to 1

Who really knows? Why would football players be any less representative of the population than any other group? I seem to remember a pop psychology theory from a few decades ago saying that playing football is to a significant degree homo-erotic activity, and some latent homosexual tendencies are being acted out by some.

Penn Jillette worked in San Francisco for something like 12 years. Where he and Teller got started.

Penn mentions this. He says straight guys got it all wrong! Because GAY GUYS never make passes at straight guys.

To prove this. (Which he's discussed on UTube. And, his show Bullshit.) Is something he did by testing this theory out.

Back in 1981. Before the AIDS epidemic got labeled. And, the place where he was doing his "juggling/magic act" ... had a bartender (who was gay). And, Jillette said he wanted to see all this gay sex in front of his eyeballs ... So he wanted to go to the Gay bathhouse.

Long story. But he ends up going. He's naked. With a towel around his neck. Because the towel isn't large enough to fit around his waist.

Jillette walks around naked, in front of the gay guys at this club. Who are ONLY there for sex. AND, NO ONE PICKS HIM UP! He got rejected!

The NFL is a symbol for entertaining the masses by employing outrageously stong people to beat the stuffing out of each other within a set of rules that barely restrains them - to the point that seeing at least one injury per game that will cause the injured person to suffer the rest of their life is commonplace and to the point that the participants' average life expectancy is far lower than the average spectator.

This is not some holier-than-thou screed. I love watching the NFL. But it seems to me that THEY are acting holier-than-thou. The NFL is hardly a source to be considered for authority on the proper use of sexuality.

Jillette then says IF a gay guy had come over to him, he'd have "done it." Just to see what it was like. And, because he wasn't just going in to "watch."

Anyway, without your clothes on, they hand you a towel. The towel was too small to fit around Jillette's waistline. So he wrapped it around the back of his neck. And, walked, stark naked. Dick flapping. Around for 5 hours. And, NO ONE APPROACHED HIM!

Talk of getting rejected!

Penn Jillette does. And, then he says (from his decades of experience in the theater business ... that straight men are left alone by gays.)

It's a monumental LIE when you hear straight men saying they are sure gay men would surge into their underpants.

I believe Penn Jillette.

I don't believe you, RonF. Unless you're a closet gay. In which case you're just gay. And, you'll be approached.

You can check Penn Jillette out on the Internet, if you don't believe me.

That's why I said "I learn something new every day." Because I heard Penn Jillette saying this on a CD I'm playing. And, I heard this TODAY.